Laura Pecchioli, Fabio Fratini: Il liberty nel contado fiorentino

Laura Pecchioli, Fabio Fratini: Il liberty nel contado fiorentino

Laura Pecchioli, Fabio Fratini: Il liberty nel contado fiorentino Villa Luzzi, la storia, i materali

THE ART NOUVEAU IN THE FLORENTINE NEIGHBOURHOOD. VILLA LUZZI, HISTORY AND MATERIALS
The Villa Luzzi is an example of the Eclettic Liberty in Florence with egregious high historical, architectural and artistic value. From the study of the documentation fonts (textual and cadastral) it is possible to follow its history from the family of Catellini da Castiglione to the last family Pinucci. The handcraft in the Ecletism was very important especially in the imitation of the materials with new technological products. Among these materials the most relevant is the artificial stone, which represents a fundamental phase for the development of the technique of reinforced concrete. The artificial stone was realised with a particular kind of binder, the so called "Roman cement", discovered and patented by Parker in 1796. It is a highly hydraulic binder that was produced by burning limestones particularly rich in clay minerals at about 1000°C. Its mechanical characteristics and colour recalls the mortars that the ancient Romans utilised for their extraordinary constructions.